1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting clamps and more particularly pertains to chair carrier clamps which may be utilized for attaching elongated objects to the vertical supports of a vehicle ladder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mounting clamps is known in the prior art. More specifically, mounting clamps heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of coupling objects together are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, a chair carrier is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,069 for attachment to the rear of a motor vehicle. The device comprises a housing containing to vertical slide bars mounting a cross member therebetween for vertical displacement a pair of rearwardly extending projections mounted on the cross member, and a winch cable attached to cross member to effect motorized vertical movement thereof. The device is particularly suited to engage, lift, and carry a conventionally known wheelchair.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,942 which teach a lawn chair rack for removable mounting to the rearward bumper of a trailer. The device includes a frame having a plurality of tubular members extending therefrom, with a pair of brackets mounted on the rear bumper of the trailer to receive the lower ends of the frame, such that lawn chairs and the like may be received between the projecting arms.
Other known prior art mounting clamps include U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,161; U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,838; U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,708; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,342.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose chair carrier clamps for attaching elongated objects to the vertical supports of a vehicle ladder which includes a mounting assembly for receiving the vertical support, an elongated lower clamp arm extending orthogonally from the mounting assembly, and an elongated upper clamp arm pivotally coupled to the mounting assembly for latching engagement to the lower arm, with the arms including elongated channels which facilitate a reception of the chair legs or other elongated objects therebetween.
In these respects, the chair carrier clamps according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of attaching elongated objects, such as chairs, ski poles, fishing rods, and the like to the vertical supports of a vehicle ladder.